EDA Sets April Deadline for Future Soldier System Bids

Mar. 4, 2013 - 06:39PM
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BRUSSELS — The European Defence Agency (EDA) has set an April 12 deadline for proposals in a 2.1 million euro ($2.8 million) program to address the categories of observation, energy, human factors and survivability in future soldier systems.

“The objective of the programme is to further identify possibilities offered by existing and innovative technologies to later recommend the implementation on future soldier systems or to identify possible trends of research investment to improve system performance,” said an EDA statement.

The program covers energy (power supply to ensure the operational availability of electronic equipment in a wide range of climates); survivability (stabilizing a soldier’s body temperature, ultralight ballistic protection, head protection and adaptive camouflage); human factors (a system concept allowing dismounted soldiers to receive necessary, useful and relevant mission information and offering the means to minimize their mental workload); and observation (precision targeting).

“Results from this programme are intended to be included in upcoming programme of work for a complete soldier system. Minimum deliverable results will consist of a final report (including source code of any software developed) with recommendations for next steps of work, and a demonstrator if applicable,” says the EDA.

The program is called the Combat Equipment for Dismounted Soldier Feasibility Study Programme (CEDS-FSP) and its contributing members are Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden.

Proposers must be designated by either Finland, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain or Sweden; be consortia including at least two entities designated by two different contributing member states and at least one small or medium-sized enterprise or academic institution or research laboratory designated by a contributing member state; and be directly responsible for the preparation and execution of their proposal and not acting as an intermediate.